Game apparatus



M. NITZBERG GAME APPARATUS Feb. 20, 1940.

Filed June 3, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 17,41,722 I .W/z/fan fizzy/i=7; 7

Feb. 20,1940. M, NlTZBERG 2,190,845

GAME APPARATUS Filed June s, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 20, 1940. NITZBERG 2,190,845

GAME APPARATUS Filed June 3, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 20, 1940. M. NITZBERG 2,190,845

GAME APPARATUS Filed June s, 1958 4'Sheets-Shet 4 58 53 58. 7 &'

lllllllllllll! I ll LILILILIULILIUU :lglllllllllill l I CH IIIIIIHHHIIIIHIHI MU Patented Feb. 20, 1940 usirso S'ii g' arse eAT NT orice GAME APPARATUS 1 Milton Nitzberg, Chicago, 111. Application Home 3, 1938, Serial No, 211,609

' 6 Claims. I (on. sis-143)" This invention relates to a game apparatus.

Que of theobjects of this invention is to 'provide a game apparatus having a rotatable member displaying legends thereon, which member is adapted to be manually set and locked in a selected position to display a particular legend and another independently rotatable member displaying similar legends adapted to be rotated and caused to be arrested in its rotation todisplay a legend identical to said first predetermined legend. I I I Another object is to provide a game apparatus having a plurality of legend displaying reels which are adapted to be set and locked in desired combination and a plurality of similar reels which are adapted to be rotated by actuating the machine and which whenybeing arrestedin their rotation and displaying-a combination of legends identical to that previously selected entitle the player to the prize indicated on one of the rotated reels. l y

Another object is to provide a gameapparatus having a plurality of sets of rotatable reels displaying the months and days of the year, one set connection with the accompanying drawings.

l is a front elevational View of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of same.

Fig. 3 is vertical section of the machine taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is vertical section of the machine taken on line lt of Fig. 3.

Fig. his a detail section taken on finch-*5 of Fig. 1.

4 Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 5-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 'l--'! of 3. i i

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing the arrangement of the figure bearing reels. l

9 is a similar View" of same.

Referring to Fig. l and Fig. 3 the mechanism is enclosed in a housing, indicated generally as at 55 25, comprising a base 26, side walls 2! and 28, a i

Y with a. plurality of projecting pins 56a and 56b 9 respectively, regularly disposed about the periph eries of said reels and adapted to be engaged by locking dogs 51, 51a, 57b, to stop the rotation rear wall 29, a frontwall 36, an angularly disposed front wall section 3! and a top wall 32. The front Wall section M is provided with a cut out portion 33 which is adapted to accommodate a panel frame 34 into which is fitted a transpar- 5 cut panel 35 through whichthe figure bearing reels may be viewed Arranged on the panel 3|. are the bosses 36 l and 3'! which are bored to accommodatethe adjusting means presently to be described. Said lo adjusting means comprises a rod til'adapted to be received in the bore of theboss 3t and is provided at one end with a knob and atthe other end with a pinion ll! press fitted on to the end of said rod. A slot M adapted to receivea coin $2 is also arranged on the panel 3i.

The side walls 2'! and 28 are provided near their bases with apertures t3 and M. respectively in which is journaled the actuating shaft to which is fixedly secured at one end exteriorly of the housing, an actuating lever 46. Positioned above said shaft and similarly journaled in the side walls as at lland w is'the reel supporting shaftw upon which are mounted for free rotation the figure displaying reels 5t, 5!, E52, and 54. The peripheral face of each reel is provided with a plurality of figures which may viewed through the panel 35. "The reel 58 is provided on its periphery with gear teeth which is adapted to engage the pinion All of the adjusting 1 rod 38 and to be rotated thereby. The reel 5! is also provided with similargear teeth 555a and is adapted to be similarly operated by adjusting rod 39. The reels 52. 53 and lid are provided of said reels. Positioned on the peripheries of the reels 52, 53, 54 opposite the above mentioned stop pins are the pins 58, 58a. and 58?) which are adapted to be engaged by actuating hammers 59,

59a and 5% as will presently appear, to effect a-spinning of the reels 52; 53 and 5 1 about the shaft 49. i 45 A description of the release mechanism which permits operationofthe machine will now be given. The coin. chute 60 connects at one end to the coin slot M and at the other end to the reel release comprised of -3integrally iormed radial arms 62, 63, 64 projecting from a hub 65 which is pivotally mounted on. a shaft lid. The armiil is provided with an offset extension t'la which has two angular portions tit: and File which are adapted to engage theteeth 55 and 55a respectively on the reels previously described.

The arm 68 is adapted to receive the coin 42 from the coin chute and to be actuated by the weight of said coin. The arm 54 connects to a link member 858 which in turn is connected to link member cs which is pivotally secured to the lever Hi. The link member 69 is provided at its free end with a tooth like angular, portion H which is adapted to engagea hook member 12 projecting from the wall. is pivotally secured at the joint it at .one end and at the other end it is slidably secured to the lever 10 by means of a pin 15 which extends, through a longitudinal slot 76 in the link member 13. The lever ll? is provided with a hub Ti and is fixedly mounted on the shaft 45 as by a pin or set screw 18.

A spring 19 which is secured to. aqlug or pin 80 carried on the lever 70 and to a transverse bar 8i serves to return the lever to normal position after actuation thereof.

. The operation of this release mechanism is as' follows:

- position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, there- 30 by disengaging the angular portions 51b and 610' v A coin which is inserted in. the slot 4! rolls down the coin chute 60 and comes to rest on the arm 63. The weight of the coin causes the arm 63 to move downwardly in a counter clockwise direction about its pivot shaft 65 to assume the from contact with the teeth 55, and 55a respectively. This permits the reels 50 and 5| to be rotated by the rotation of the pinions on the adjusting rods 38 and 39. The arm-64 which is integrally formed with the arm 53 also moves in a similar direction and imparts motion to link fillwhich causes the link 69 to move downwardly to cause the tooth portion "H .to disengage the hook 12, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The lever w is now free to be rocked-about the shaft 45. As the lever 46' is moved to the right .82 and .flush with the surfaces thereof.

the lever "H3 moves simultaneously therewith; The lost motion istaken up in the slot Hi, and

the link it follows and draws arm 64 in the same direction causing the arm 63 to assume the posi-' tion indicated by the dotted lines 63b illustrated in Fig. 3, when the lever-l has reached the end of its stroke, as shown by dotted lines in the t will be seen that this movement same figure. causes the coin t2 toroll off the arm 63 and to fall in a suitable receptacle. When during the course of the operation of this device, the lever it returns to normal position against the cross bar 84 by reason of the tension of the spring 19 on the lever 70, all of the other link members are likewise returned to normal non-operating position and the above described movements follow through when another coin is inserted.

The mechanism for actuating the reels 52, 53 and 54 as shown in Figs."3 and 4 will now be described. A lever 82 freely mounted vat its hub portion 83 on the shaft 45 is'provided with a longitudinal slot 85 which is adapted to receive a member 86 which is slidably secured in said slot. Said member is provided with a recessed portion 8i intermediate its ends, said recessed portion being of the same thickness as the lever A projecting pin 88 is mounted on the member 86 and serves to secure one end of a coil spring 89. A hammer member 59 is pivotally mounted at thetop portion of the leve of a pin ill whichfalso fserv ofj'fthe' spring 85:}; A sprin' The link member 13 p 7 means 82 serves to return the hammer to normal position; A spring 93 secured to a lug 94 integrally formed with the lever 82 and to the crossbar 9t serves to return said lever to normal nonoperative position against the cross bar M. Positioned, adjacent said lever 82 and fixedly secured to the shaft 45 as by a pin or set screw 9G is the lever 95 adapted to rock with the shaft 45. The lever is provided near its top portion with an arm 96 which terminates in a jaw 9'! which is adapted to engage the slidable member 86. A spring 98 stretched between the lever 95 and the cross bar 8! serves as ameans of returning the lever to normal position. Similar mechanisms are provided for actuating reels 53 and 5d.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that three reels 52, 53 and M are each provided with ratchet wheels mil, Ill], and W2 respectively which are suitably secured to said reels and are rotatable therewith. Pawls H33, H330: and H131) are pivotally mounted. on a shaft it' l, which is suitably secured to the housing and which by means of 3 springs 35 are caused to constantly engage the ratchets ml, m2 and H33 and permit rotation only in the direction indicated by the arrow. 3 v

' Since the operation of the reelactuating mechanisms are all identical 2. description of the operation of one will only be given.

Assuming that the lever locking mechanism as at H has been released by the coin in the manner heretofore described, the actuating lever 46 is now free for operation. By moving the lever 6 to the right, Fig.,3, the lever 95 which is fixedly secured to the shaft i5 is caused to move simultaneously with lever 46. The jaw 91 of lever e5 engages the slidable member 86 and causes the lever 82 which is freely mounted on the shaft 35 to move simultaneously with lever $5. In the course'of its travel the hammer 5E! strikes the pin 58 on the reel 54 which is prelimit of its pivotal travel the engaged portion of the slidable member thi is driven out of engagement with the jaw Q? to a point where the recessed portion 871' is aligned with the jaw 91. Simultaneously the hammer 59 is moved out of engagement with the pin 58 and the spring 92 causes it to assume the normal upright position illustrated by the dotted lines. At this instant the spring 93 causes the lever 82 on which the hammer 59 is positioned to be drawn back to normal position and in its travel the hammer 59 is caused to strike thepin 58 causing the reel 54 to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow. The slidable member 86 is also returned to normal position by thespring 89.

It will be remembered that the actuating lever it has not as yet been released to return to normal position. The return of said lever causes the actuation of the reel stopping mechanism a description of which will now be given.

A segmental gear m5 integrally formed with a lever ltii is fixedly mounted on the shaft 45 and is adaptedto be rocked therewith. A spring iillstretched between a projecting pin Hi8 on turn the-lever"to normal position.

The segmental gear I05 is associated with a train of gears comprising gears I09 and Ill]. Said gear ID engages the vertical rack I which is slidably mounted in suitable guides H2. Integrally formed with said rack is a forked member H3 provided with three projecting dogs 51, 51a and 515 which are angularly disposed with reference to the rack portion and which are adapted to engage the pins 56, 56a and 55b and 52, 53 and 54.

to stop the rotation of the reels respectively.

The operation of the above described reel stopping mechanism is as follows:

When the machine is in inoperative position the dogs 51', 51a, and 51b are normally in engagement with the pins 55, 56a and 5611. As the shaft is rocked clockwise by the lever 46, the segmental gear I05 which. is fixedly mounted on the shaft rocks therewith and causes the gears I09 and H0 to revolve and to move the rack in a downward direction. The dogs 51, 51a and 515 are. brought out of engagement with the pins 56, 56a and 5612 leaving the reels 52, 53 and 54 free to revolve and to be actuated by means previously described. The release of the lever 46 causes the rotating reels to stop. In this operation the spring I01 draws the lever I06 and segmental gear I05 back to normal position thereby causing the gears I59 and Hi) to revolve in a direction opposite fromv that previously described and to move the rack MI in an upward direction thereby causing the dogs 51, 51a and 51b to engage the teeth 5|, 5|a and 5|b and to stop the rotation of the reels.

As shown in the preferred embodiment of my invention reels 5| and 5!], have displayed on their peripheral faces, themonths of the year and days of the month respectively. The reels 54 and 53 are also provided on their peripheral faces with similar displays, the reel 54 having months of the year and the reel 53 having days of the month. Reel 52 is provided on its face with a plurality of numbers which serve the purpose of indicating the amount of the prize to be received by the operator. As previously described when a coin is inserted in the slot the locking mechanism of the reels 55 and 5| is released and the operator by rotating the knobs on the adjusting rods 38 and 39 selects a combination corresponding to his birthday. Partial actuation of the lever 46 causes the reels 5i] and 5| to become locked and further changing of the combination is thus prevented until an.- other coin is dropped in the slot. Complete actuation of the lever 46, causes the reels 52, 53

and 54 to be rotated in the manner previously described. The operator by releasing the lever 46 causes said reels to be arrested in their rotation and to display on reels 54 and 53 a combination of a month and a day. If the combination on reels 54 and 53 corresponds to that displayed on reels 5| and theoperator is en titled to the prize indicated on the reel 52. When the lever 46 returns to normal position the mechanism is completely locked and can be released only on the insertion of another coin in the slot.

Although in the preferred embodiment, of my invention months of the year and days of the month are displayed on the faces of the reels it will be understood that other figures and representations may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

non-operating I claim:

1. In a coin operated game device, a plurality of legend displaying reels mounted coaxially, an actuating lever, means for normally locking some of said reels and said actuating lever against movement, said locking means adapted to be actuated by a coin to simultaneously release said lever and some of said reels, means operable by the operator for setting said reels to present a combination of legends, means in operative engagement with said lever for rotating said other reels, means in operative engagement with said lever and controllable by the operator of said device for stopping the rotation of said last mentioned reels to present various combinations of legends, saidlocking means adapted to lock said lever and said first mentioned reels when said lever is returned tonormal non-operating position.

2. In a coin operated game device, a plurality of legend displaying reels mounted for free rotation, a rockably mounted shaft, an actuating lever fixedly mounted thereon, means nor normally locking said' shaft and some of said reels against movement, said locking means adapted to be activated by a coin to simultaneously release said shaft and said reels, means operable by the operator for setting said reels to present a combination of legends when said reels are released, means in operative engagement with said shaft for causing the rotation of said other reels when said lever is actuated, means in operative engagement with said shaft for stopping the rotation of said last mentioned reels when said lever is released and returned to normal position, said locking means adapted to lock said lever and said first mentioned reels when said lever is so released.

3. In a coin operated game device, a plurality of legend displayingreels mounted for free rotation, a rockably mounted shaft, a lever mounted thereon for rocking said shaft, means for normally locking said shaft and some of said reels against movement, said locking means adapted to be actuated by a coin to simultaneously release said shaft and said reels, means operable by the operator for setting said reels to presenta combination of legends when said reels are released, engageable members carried by other of said reels, engaging members carried on said shaft and adapted to strike said engageable members to cause the rotation of said other reels when said lever is actuated, means carried on said shaft for arresting the rotation of said last mentioned reels to present various combinations of legends, said locking means adapted to lock said shaft and said first mentioned reels when said lever is released and-returned to normal non-operating position.

4. In a device of the character described, a plurality of legend displaying reels coaxially mounted for free rotation, some of said reels being provided, on the peripheral edges thereof, with means engageable by pinions for rotating said reels and selectively setting same to present a combination of legends, locking means engageable with said above mentioned means for normally locking said reels against rotation, actuating means for causing the rotation of other of said reels, said other reels being provided, on.

the peripheral edges thereof, with a plurality of spacedelements engageable by locking means for arresting and locking said reels against rotation, coin controlled means for releasing said locking means whereby some of said reels are selectively settable to present combinations of legends and said actuating means are operable to cause the rotating of said reels, said second mentioned locking means being in operative association with a said actuating means and operable by the operator to arrest the rotation of said other reels when said actuating means are returned to normal inoperative position.

5. In a device of the character described, a plurality of legend displaying reels mounted for free rotation, means for selectively setting some of said reels to present a combination of legends, means for normally locking some of said reels against movement, actuating means for causing the rotation of other of said reels, means for locking said actuating means against operation thereof, coin controlled means for releasing said locking means whereby some of said reels are selectively settable to present combinations of legends and said actuating means are operable to cause the rotation of said other means, means in operative engagement with said actuating means and controllable by the operator of said device for arresting the rotation of said other reels, said locking means being operable to lock said reels against movement and to lock said actuating means against operation when the rotation of said other reelsis arrested.

6. In a device of the character described, a plurality of legend displaying reels mounted c0- axially for free rotation, some of said reels being provided with means for rotating same for selecting a combination of legends, locking means engageable with said reels for locking same against rotation, actuating means for causing the rotation of other of said reels, said actuating means including a spring tensioned hammer member adapted to strike one of a plurality of projections extending from the peripheral edges, of said 

